


All roads lead to this

by spitfiresparrow



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/F, No Spoilers, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:34:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24757099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spitfiresparrow/pseuds/spitfiresparrow
Summary: Settling down in a place like Jackson is so different from the military camps that she grew up in, but Ellie knows she owes it to Joel to at least try, it's just that she's never felt like she fit in.Finding her place in the small settlement starts to look a lot more achievable though when Ellie meets one of the other girls her age - Dina, but can she navigate that thin line between friendship and the burgeoning attraction she feels to her new friend?--A collection of moments in Ellie and Dina's friendship building up to the church scene from the E3 trailer.No spoilers for TLOU2, other than anything Naughty Dog already released in trailers/screenshots etc.
Relationships: Dina & Ellie (The Last of Us), Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 79





	All roads lead to this

_“So how was it?” he asked with a raised eyebrow as he heard the door open and then slam, causing the whole house to vibrate as Elllie stormed in._

_“It’s complete bullshit” she responded as she threw herself onto the couch beside him._

_“That good, huh?”_

_“Wipe that smirk off your face, old man” she grumbled, just making him smile more. “I’m serious Joel, this is bullshit and you know it. I should be out there with you, helping on patrols, not learning about some stupid fucking long-dead poet. How’s that going to help me kill a Clicker?”_

_“Perhaps you could recite poetry to it? You certainly have a way with words…” he teased with raised eyebrows and had to admit he deserved the elbow in the ribs he received._

_When Ellie said nothing more, just simply stared at the blank TV screen he sighed and sat up a little straighter. “Look, I know it’s not something you wanna do. And I know it all seems a little strange to be learning about this sort’a thing with everything that’s happening out there - but Ellie, we got a real chance at a life here in Jackson, and if that means you gotta go to school and I gotta go to all these ridiculous town meetings then that’s exactly what we’ll do”_

_Ellie sighed and lay back on the couch, she knew he was right, she just didn’t want to admit it._

_“They gave me homework. Fucking homework, Joel” she said after a few more moments and that was the final straw when it came to him remaining serious and he couldn’t help but burst out laughing at it all. Here he was, living in the middle of an apocalypse with a teenage daughter who was being given homework!_

\-- 

It had been a few months now since Ellie had first started at the school in Jackson. She still hated it, or so she repeatedly told him. But somehow, Joel couldn’t quite bring himself to completely believe it. Not with the sounds of laughter coming from upstairs right now.

When Ellie had come home that afternoon and said she had to work on a project with one of the other teenagers he had expected her to be even grumpier than usual. Instead when there had been a knock at the door Ellie had bounded down the stairs to open it and greet the girl on the other side. 

Dina. Or at least that’s what he thought she had said when she introduced herself. He recognised her from around town but he didn’t remember seeing her and Ellie hanging out before.

\--

“Okay okay, let’s just focus on this damn project” Ellie groaned, pulling the book towards her once more. 

“Oh, Ellie” Dina rolled her eyes overdramatically. “Here I was thinking you’d invited me back to your place for something a little more interesting than some project” 

Ellie was glad that Dina had looked away whilst she pulled her own books out of her bag and didn’t catch the way her face reddened at the insinuation. 

She had known the other girl a few months now, since Joel had pretty much forced her to go to the ridiculous classes that the younger members of Jackson were expected to attend. It hadn’t really taken long to hit it off with Dina, honestly her smile was infectious and Ellie had found an instant connection with her new friend. 

However, it also hadn’t taken long for Ellie to feel those first sparks of attraction to the other girl. Dina was beautiful, you couldn’t deny it. Her smile lit up the room, her jokes made even Ellie cringe and she had a way of making even the dullest of classes seem fun. 

A part of Ellie wondered if these feelings were borne from Dina being her first real friend here in Jackson. It had been so long since she had lost Riley, yet the wound was still fresh, and the last year and a half of her life had been pretty insane, she hadn’t exactly had time to stop and look at pretty girls. 

But now - now she felt like she had all the time in the world to look at pretty girls. To look at Dina specifically. 

“So...your Dad. He’s a bit of a hottie isn’t he?” Dina smirked as she opened her own books, breaking Ellie from her thoughts.

“Dina!!” 

If Ellie’s face was red before it was the colour of a beetroot now. 

“Firstly, that’s disgusting” She threw her pencil over at the other girl who just shrieked and ducked. “And secondly, what happened to us getting some work done?”

“I’m just stating a point” Dina sighed dramatically and looked back at her books. 

“You’re gross” Ellie huffed, and she definitely wouldn’t admit to herself that she was starting to feel envious of Joel if Dina thought he was hot.

Dina laughed and stood up, moving to sit on the bed beside Ellie. 

“Alright, alright. I’ll stay away from your old man” she promised, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes and looking down at Ellie’s open book, completely unaware that the other girl was watching her every move with interest. “So what do we actually have to do here?”

“I’ve no fucking idea. I thought you were the brains?” Ellie smiled and sat back against her pillows.

“Oh and you’re the brawn?” Dina smirked and looked up at her once more.

“Yes ma’am” she grinned and lifted an arm to flex it.

The way that Dina’s head fell back as she laughed made Ellie’s heart skip and the smile on her face grew as she watched her new friend with interest. 

“Careful Ellie, you’ll make a girl swoon” she teased and dramatically pretended to faint. 

Ellie rolled her eyes and watched the way Dina fell down onto her bed, a happiness in her chest that she hadn’t even allowed herself to feel since that fateful night in the mall with Riley. 

\--

As Joel heard the laughter coming from upstairs he couldn’t help but let out a happy sigh. Maybe this could work out after all, maybe they could really find their place here in Jackson.

And maybe, just maybe, Ellie could find the peace and happiness he so desperately wanted for her.


End file.
